AMIDEA

Who, I to Court? What means my brother? I shall suspect your health. Love me? why? Yes. To have my name Stand in the Ivory register of Virgi S, When I am dead, before f tious thought Should lurk within to betray my fame, To sucha blot, my hands shall mutiny, And boldly with a poniard teach my heart To weep out a rep tance. You are not cheerful sir. How is't my Lord? you were not wont to look So sad when you came hith r. How sir? your language is Another then you use to speak, you look not With the same brow upon me. Would. He's gone. Brother, if ever You loved poor Amidea, let not this Arrive Sciarrhas ear the danger in His knowledge of it, this may be a trial Of my affection My tears entreat Your silence Guess by my eyes, you may Something of sorrow hath befallen, no sooner You were beparted, cut some strange distemper Iuvaded him, we might discern a change In's countenance, and though we prayed him to Repose with us, he would straight back again, So with Frederico, And signior Cosmo, he returned. I hope Sciarrha does not mean so ill as that Did promise, he's returned: his looks are full. Enter Sciarrha. Of threatening. How? You wonot kill him? I know you cannot. To kill your Prince? Shall it be read in Stories of our Florenoe, Sciarrha first did stain his family With such a Treason? How will good men in this remembrance Abhor your cruelty, that send to hell One with the weight of all his sins upon him. I would thought on't, send him to my bed. Do not question what I purpose, heaven Witness to my chased thoughts. I will do much sir, to preserve his life, And your innocence: be not you suspectful At the worst, you can but respite your revenge. No: Give me his life, and send your wanton to me; I'll to my Chamber, fear me not Sciarrha, Have not one thought so bade, I shall not prosper; Virgins n heaven will suffer with me. Yes my Prince. O take your self again, use your greatness To make the hearts of Florence bow to you, And pay their duties thus. And me to obey. What mean you? Good my Lord, I understand you not, and yet I fear You do not mean well, if you have brought with you A sinful purpose which I may suspect. I know not. Yes. To tell you that you are not virtuous. But I am not so wicked To be of yours: o think but who you are, Your title speaks you nearest heaven, and points You out a glorious reign among the Angels, Do not depose your self of one, and be Of the other disin'herited. Keep off. Prince, come not to near me. For by my honour, since you have lost your own, Although I bow in duty to your person, I hate your black thoughts, tempt not my just hand With violent approach, I dare, and will Do that will grieve you, if you have a soul. True, but I dare die. Rather then you should be my ravisher. Let this deserve your faith, I dare be just, She wounds her arm. This crimson river issuing from my arm. Never, it shall flow, and if this channel Yield not enough, I'll stricke another vein, And after that another, and not pity The murmuring stream, till through a prodigal wound I have drained the fountain: this does weep for you, And shall extol my death, if it may teach You to correct your blood. Not, till you swear repentance; I do not faint yet, 'tis somewhat about, But I can find a nearer way, this does it. May I believe you sir? Not for my sake, but for your own, go back, Or take some other way, this leads to death My brother. Transported with The fury of revenge for my dishonour, As he conceives; for 'tis against my will: Hath vowed to kill you in your Nuptial glory. Alas I fear his haste, now good my Lord, Have mercy on your self, I do not beg Your pity upon me, I know too well You cannot love me now, nor would I rob This Virgin of your faith, since you have pleased To throw me from your love: I do not ask One smile, nor one poor kiss, enrich this maid Created for those blessings: but again, I would beseech you, cherish your own life, Though I be lost forever. Will you not then believe me? pray persuade him, You are his friends. Lady, it will concern You most of all indeed: fear yowl weep To see him dead as well as J. J have done, pray be not angry, That still J wish you well, may heaven divert All harms that threaten you, full blessings crown Your Marriage: J hope there is no sin in this; Jndeed J cannot choose but pray for you, This might have been my wedding-day. Pray do not mock me, But if you do, J can forgive you too. Alas poor Maid, We two keep sorrow alive then, but J prithee When thou art married, love him, prithee love him; For he esteems thee well, and once a day Give him a kiss for me, but do not tell him, It my desire, perhaps it'll fetch a sighs From him, and I had rather break my heart, But one word more, and heaven be with you all, Since you have led the way, I hope my Lord That I am free to marry too. Let me beseech you then, to be so kind After your own solemnities are done, To grace my wedding, I shall be married shortly. To one whom you have all herd talk of, Your father's knew him well: one, who will never Give cause I should suspect him to forsake me, A constant lover, one whose lips though cold Distil chased kisses, though our bridal bed Be not adorned with roses, 'twill be green, We shall have Virgin Laurel Cypress, Ewe, To make us garlands, though no Pi e do burn, Our nuptial shall have torches, and our chamber Shall be cut out of marble, where weel sleep Free from all care for ever: death my Lord I hope shall be my husband, now farewell Although no kiss, accept my parting tear, And give me leave to wear my willow here. Though all my stock of tears were spent already Upon Pisanoes lose, and that my brain Were bankrupt of moisture, and denied To lend my grief one drop more for his Funeral; Yet the remembrance that you have made A forfeit of your deer life Is able to create a weeping spring Within my barren head: o my lost brother, Thou hast a cruel destiny, my eyes In pity of thy fate desire to drown thee. The Law will only seek thee upon land, Hid in my tears, thou shalt prevent the stroke Kills both our name and thee. Good Heaven that we might go together. Then let me go before. Make my suit unto the Prince, my blood May be your ransom; let me die, Sciarrha My life is fruitless unto all the world, The Duke in justice will not deny this: And though I weep in telling thee, I shall Smile on the Scaffold. Nothing can be too precious To save a brother, such a loving brother As you have been. Do you believe I should not find The way to Heaven: were both mine eyes thy ransom, I shall climb up those high and rugged Without a hand. Pronounce it, And let no danger that attends, incline you To make a pause. Him? Bless me! O never, never. But stain my self for ever. O do not speak So Like a rebel to all modesty, To all Religion, if these arguments Spring from your jealousy that I am fallen, After a proof you did so late applaud. I must never Buy my poor breath at such a rate, who has Made you afraid to die: I pity you, And wish my self in any noble cause Your Leader, when our souls shall leave this dwelling, The glory of one fair, and virtuous Actium Is above all the scutcheons on our ombe, Or silken ban rs over us. What means my brother? Do not fright me good Sciarrha. Will you murder me? Not at the terror of your sword, But at the horror will affright thy soul, For this black deed: J see Pisanos blood Is texted in thy forehead, and thy hands Retain too many, too many crimson spots already Make not thy self, by urthering of thy ister All a read letter, Yetstay, is there no remedy but death, And from your hand? then keep your word, & let me Use one short prayer. Forgive me heaven, and, witn sse J have till K eels. My Virgin thoughts, 'tis not to have my life, But his eternal one. Sciarrha give me leave to veil my face, Rises. J dare not look upon you and pronounce, J am too much a sister, live, hereafter I know you will condemn my frailty for it. I will obey the Duke. O let me see the wound She unvails. 'Tis well, if any other hand had done it: Some Angel tell my brother now, I did But seem consenting. You may believe my last breath. To gain some time, in hope you might call in Your bloody purpose, and prevent the gilded Of being my murderer; but Heaven forgive thee. With the same heart I beg Heaven for my self, Farewell. I drew the weapon to it: Heaven knows my brother loved me: now I hope The Duke won't pursue me with new flames. Sciarrha, tell the rest, love one another The time you live together: I'll pray for you In Heaven, farewell, kiss me when I am dead; You else will stay my journey. Love me? For what? You make me wonder, Pray speak that I may understand. What for heaven, be the Dukes whore? Give up my Virgin-honour to his lust? I do mistake you brother, do I not? I would I did then, is't not possible That this should be a dream? where did you drop Your virtue Sir? Flori , why move you not? Why are you slow to tell this man? for sure 'Tis not Sciarrah, he hath talked so ill, And so much, that we may have cause to fear, The air about's infected. Come not near him Florio, 'Tis not Sciarrha, sure my brother's Nurse Played the impostor, and with some base issue Cheated our house. I've no black intent To stain't with any blood. Now leave me. They are coming. O my ! I must not obey To be your strumpet, though my hand be unskilful, I shall soon find my heart.